Adjustable invalid-chair.



I A. L. MEEKS.

ADJUSTABLE INVALID CHAIR.

v APPLICATION FILED SEPT-4,1914- 1,219,834L. Patented Mar. 20, 1917.

mm v m\ M I w. I W I 9 m NI M Q N u l l I v b v Nfi NM 4 N. m m, I||| I \\/v I I I I I l I I I I I I I I I II I E h r I ANNIE'L. MEEKS, 0F GADSDEN, ALABAMA.

ADJUSTABLE INVALID-CHAIR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 20, 1917.

Application filed September 4, 1914. Serial N 0. 860,228.

To all whom it may concern: 1

Be it known that I, ANNIE L. MEEKs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Gadsden, in the county of Etowah and State of Alabama, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Adjustable Invalid- Chairs, of which the following is a specifi cation.

My invention relates to adj ustableinvalid chairs. Y

The primary object of my: invention resides in the provision of an invalids chair wherein such structural elements are embodied as will allow the back, seat, leg rest, and foot rest to be disposed in sucha' position that the occupant of the chair may be transferred to a bed or couch without any muscular effort, the seat mounting and operating mechanism therefor being covered in my co-pending application Serial Number 111,467, filed July 26th, 1916.

Another object of my invention contemplates the provision of an invalids chair wherein each of the elements of the chair are adjusted with respect to each other so that various changes may be madein the inclination and height of the seat, back and limb rest to provide a more comfortable position for the occupant and wherein the back, seat, leg rest, and foot rest may be disposed in alined relation with each other to form a table like structure for the transportation of persons unable to maintain a sitting position. I

A still further object of my invention contemplates the provision of such actuating mechanism as will move and maintain the various parts of the chair in adjusted rigid position and which will dispose the chair in such a position with very little effort on the part of the operator.

With these and other objects in view my invention contemplates such details in construction, combination, and arrangement of parts as will be illustrated in the drawings, described in the specification and claimed.

In the drawings wherein is illustrated the preferred embodiment of this invention;

Figure 1 is a side sectional elevation ofmy chair showing to advantage the actuating mechanism.

Fig. 2 is a view of the stop mechanism used for limiting the degree of inclination of the back, leg and foot rest of my chain In the various views of the drawings like characters denote like or corresponding parts.

The preferred embodiment of my invention consists in the provision of a frame portion comprising a seat A which is preferably rectangular in shape. Pivotally mounted adjacent the rear extremity of said seat A is the back rest B which is provided with two supports 1 and I 2 secured in any suitable manner to the frame 3 of the back rest. V

The said supports 1 and 2 extend below the lower extremity of the said back rest to form arms which are pivotally secured as at 4: to the outer surface of the side bars 5 of the seat A. In order to provide resiliency .to the back rest a flexible material 6 such'as wicker or wire net is secured within the frame portions comprising the said back. Adjacent the forward extremity of the said seat A is pivotally mounted a leg rest C which also includes two supports 7 and 8 which extend past the upper extremity of the body portion of the leg rest to form arms which are pivoted as at 9 to the outer surface of the side bars 5 of the seat A, the said arms extending upwardly past the seat A and having pivotally secured thereto as at 10 a pair of tie bars 11 which bars extend rearwardly parallel to the seat and are pivotally secured to the supports 1 and 2 of the back rest- B. Said tie bars 11 provide simultaneous movement to the back and leg rest when desiring to adjust the same. The leg rest C is composed of a preferably rectangular frame 12 having a flexible material 13 secured therewithin. Upon the lower extremity of the leg rest C and rig- .idly secured to the supports 7 and 8 is the foot rest D which extends substantially at right angles to the leg rest C and has a downwardly extending flange 1& formed upon its outer edge. It will be seen that upon movement of the back rest B simultaneous but reverse movement of the foot rest C will be effected while the seat Awill re main in its normal position. When the back rest, seat and legrest are disposed in the position shown at 15 in Fig. l the tie bars 11 lie flush with the outer surface of the seat A and the alined members as any entirety provide an improved table upon which to place an invalid.

In order to support the frame of my chair I provide legs 16 and 17 which are secured in any suitable manner to the side bars of the seat A, the upper end portions 21 have secured upon-their upper extremities suitable arms which may be of any desired configuration and are attached in any suitable manner to the structure of the frame of the chair so that no movement is effected thereupon by adjustment of the back, leg and foot rest. The body portions 23 of the legs have formed therein a longitudinal rectilinear bore 24 which extends theentire length of said body portion and is adapted for the reception of rack bars 25 and 26. In order to allow access to said rack bars I provide upon the inner surface of the said body portion a cut away portion 29. The upper extremities of said rack bars are secured to the side of the seat A, the structure of the side bars of the said seat A being similar in configuration to an angle iron so as to conceal the said terminal ends 30 from observation. In order to actuate the said rack bars, I provide gears 31 and 32 which are mounted upon the shaft 34 and mesh with the rack bars. Upon rotation of the shaft through the medium of the handle 35 either upward or downward movement is imparted to the rack bars and because of the fact that they are secured to the side bars of the said seat A corresponding movement is imparted thereto. In order to reinforce the structure of the chair and to hold it in a rigid position I provide a cross beam 38 which is secured to certain portions of the same in any suitable manner.

Anticipating the necessity in some cases of a rolling chair I provide forward and rearward wheels 89 and 40 respectively which are carried upon axles which are secured in their proper positions upon the legs of the chair.

In order to adjust the inclination or position of the back rest and leg rest a pair of segmental racks 42 are secured to the side bars of the seat A and are bent upwardly and outwardly adjacent their lower extremities to allow for movement of the tie bars 11 therewithin. Carried by the tie bars 11 are a pair of brackets 43 which have pins 44 movable therein and engaging at predetermined times the teeth in the racks 42.

' In order to normally retain the said pins 44 in engagement with the said racks I provide the springs 45 which are carried within the brackets 43 and operate upon the said pins 44. An eye is provided in the upper extremities of each of said pins for the reception of cords 46 which in order to provide proper movement of the pins 44 at predetermined times are disposed through pulleys47. In order to impart movement to said cords 46 and consequently to draw the pins 44 from engagement with the said racks 42 I dispose a shaft 48 journaled within and between the supports 1 and 2 of the back. Upon the shaft 48 and adjacent each of the tie bars 11 are carried levers 49 to the'ends of which the cords 46 are secured. The arm 50 of one of the levers 49 is connected with the rod 51 which extends v upwardly and has engagement with the actuating lever 52 which is pivotally secured to the back rest A of the frame of my chair. It is often times diflicult to actuate a lever of this character and to this end I provide a rest or grip 53 which is rigidly carried in close proximity to said lever 52 and provides a suitable base from which to actuate the said lever 52.

The operation of my invention is as follows:

Should it be desired to transfer a patient to my chair the seat A is elevated to a level with the bed by actuating the rack bars through the medium before designated. This being done the pins 44 are disengaged from the teeth of the racks 42 and the back and leg rests are'disposed in alined relation with the said seat this forming a platform of the same height as the bed and to which an invalid may be readily transferred with practically no muscular effort upon his part. Upon disposing the invalid upon the said platform the back and leg rests are moved to a position of'most comfort to the occupant and the pin is allowed to become engaged with the racks 42 thus holding the entire structure of the frame rigidly in adjusted position. Because of the fact that the frame of my chair is by intent secured to the seat A upon movement of the said seat in an upward or downward direction a similar movement is imparted to the back rest and foot rest so that adjustment of the elevation of the invalid may be effected with little or no discomfort.

I desire to lay great stress upon the simplicity of my invention together with the coaction between the various elements comprising it.

Realizing that conditions coincident with the reduction of my invention to practice may vary I desire it to be understood that I may make slight changes in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts provided such changes fall within the scope of the appended claim.

I claim:

An invalid chair including a seat, a back including side bars pivotally connected with said seat, aleg rest including side bars pivotally connected with said seat and having their upper end portions extending above said seat, a rod constituting a rocker shaft rotatably carried by the side bars of said back, side arms for the chair pivotally con nected with the upper end portions of the side bars of said leg rest and having their rear end portions pivotally connected with the side bars of said back by said rocker portions of said rocker shaft, flexible means connecting said levers with said pawls, and means connected with one of said levers for moving the same to draw its pawl out of engagement with its respective rack and 1'0- tating said rocker shaft to swing the second 10 lever and draw its respective pawl out of engagement with its rack.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

' ANNIE L. MEEKS. Witnesses:

A. F. HEATH, H. B. MYERS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner of Pstentl,

' Washington, D. 0. 

